Deaths from Accidents or Misadventure
Detailed here are some deaths that required an inquest to be held. See also reports of road traffic incidents or transport related deaths
A press report form Ipswich Journal, July 21st 1798.
Tuesday last an inquest was taken at Stowupland by Mr Harwood, Gent, coroner , on the body of John Wells age 14 who instantly died in consequence of a wound he received by the discharge of a gun.
The facts were as follows: two boys, playmates of the deceased, went with him to the counting house of Mr Dennis Chandler, of Stowupland, corn merchant, to deliver a parcel, in which room stood a loaded gun, kept there for the purpose of killing rats. One of the boys, about 10 years old, took up the gun, where it immediately went off (but by what means it did not appear), and killed the deceased as above mentioned. Jurors verdict, Accidental death.
(hand written copy in Ena Carter’s archive)
29/02/1840. Sarah Hearn (6 month old) the child of a labourer died from burns. (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
02/05/ 1840. William Robinson (b 1817)) occupation was given as a carpenter, at the age of 23 he hanged himself – ‘being a lunatic’. (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams)
13/06/1841. Richard Bloom (age 19) a labourer who died from the kick of an ass in the body (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
29/08/1842. John Southgate (age 66) a farm bailiff died ‘by lightning’. (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
29/08/1842.Robert Sillett (8 year old child) also died ‘by lightning’. (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
16/01/1844. George Pegg (4 year old son of Robert Pegg, a labourer) he died accidentally from burns (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
11/10/1844. Jeremiah Baker (age 50) is decribed as a farming man who died from hemorrhage of the illiac vessels which were ruptured by the kick of a horse. (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
13/12/1844 Mary Ann Eames ( 4y and 3 mth old daughter of John Eames burned accidentally (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
27/11/1847. Richard Remplen (40 yr old labourer) accientally suffered in a sand pit.
19/01/1848. David Culley (4 yr old son of John, a gas fitter) drowned by accident.(Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
10/07/1857.Susannah Pegg ( 2 year old daughter of a servant) died from over-distention of the stomach from eating cabbage (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
01/08/ 1854. William Culley (son of John (gasman) and brother of David -see above) drowned age 13, ruled an accident. (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
17/05/ 1855. William Taylor ( 60 yr old farmer) was found drowned, ruled due to ‘lunancy” (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams).
04/12/1859. William Pegg ( 7 week old baby, son of John and ag lab) ‘sudden supposed suffocation after eating a meal (no medical man). (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams)
08/11/1860. John Ames (61 yr old ag lab) ‘self destruction by cutting his throat while in a state of temporary insanity. (Stowmarket LHG archive, data collated by Steve Williams)
October 1873 the Ipswich Journal reported on an inquest into the death of 9 weeks old Edith Betsy Diaper, daughter of Esther and Charles Diaper. The inquest was held in The Retreat and a verdict of accidental death was returned by the jury.
September 1900: A pathetic scene was witnessed in the Churchyard of Stowupland on the afternoon of Tuesday, when the burial of a little girl named Alice G. P. Sheppard took place, The deceased attended the Board School in her usual health on Thursday morning in last week, and went through her lessons, with the exception of drill. She went home to dinner, but as she complained to her parents of not feeling wel, She stayed at home in the afternoon, and died about five o’clock. The children of the upper standards, numbering 90, met the funeral procession at the church gates under the charge of Mr. and Mrs. Prentice, Miss Lillistone, Miss Dent, and Miss Sparks. When the mourners were seated, the children sang the hymn ” Young children once to Jesus came.” Two other hymns were also sung by them at the grave. The burial service was read by the vicar, the Rev. George M. Shallard. After the service was over, each child dropped into the grave a bunch of white flowers, in token of love for their de- ceased school-fellow. Many beautiful wreaths were upon the coffin, viz., from the Master and Mistress of the school, the assistants, the school-children, the scholars and teachers of the Congregational Sunday School, Mr. and Mrs. Stearn (of Sheepcote Hall), and many others, all bearing suitable inscriptions.
28th December 1917, the Bury and Norwich Post carried a report on the sudden death of a young child, Doris May Gooch. The daughter of Mrs Ethel Gooch and her husband from Creeting. death was put down to cerebro-spinal meningitis but could not be confirmed as the organism died at the time of the child’s death so was not found in the serum test sample.
The year is unknown but early 20th century. Dorrie Robinson, following a colostomy is thought to have taken her own life. The Rev Brame in As I Remember It, tells us that ‘at last she could bear it no longer, and walked out of the house during a heavy fall of snow, dressed in a smart skirt and silk blouse, crept quietly down Creeting Lane, came to a spot where the snow had drifted in the bitter northeast wind to a depth of several feet and threw herself into it. When she was reported missing, we all of us joined in the search, but it took us a long time to find her, because the continuous snowfall covered her footprints. Her death certificate said that she had died of pneumonia, I suppose because hypothermia would have needed an inquest, which would have been embarrassing for the doctors and the family.’
February 1934 – MR. A. E. FOKSDYKE. Mr. Arthur Edward Forsdyke, aged 53. an agricultural labourer, living at Myrtle Cottages. Stowupland. collapsed and died while at work in field at Mr. Walter Cubitt’s Croft Farm, Stowupland on Monday afternoon. He had made no complaint of feeling unwell and had partaken of his mid-day meal usual, but about 2.15 p.m. he was seen to fall to the ground, and when his work-mates went to his assistance they found he was dead. Dr. H. S. Gaskell and Dr. J. P. Hill were immediately summoned from Stowmarket but could only pronounce life to be extinct. The deceased man had enjoyed fairly good health during the last two years, with the exception of occasional attacks of giddiness, but for three years before then he had suffered from neuritis and had had a nervous breakdown. A post-mortem examination was held. Many of our readers will remember that for very long period Mr. Forsdyke was landlord of Stowupland “Crown” but left there over five years ago. Much sympathy will be felt for the two eons who are left to mourn.
The following newspaper article confirmed the story told to me by a local resident of Saxham Street regarding a WW1 veteran who took his own life in 1951. Although there is a discrepancy, the press cutting said Mr Stannard was living with Mr & Mrs Youngs but I was told he was living with Lenny Rogers.
In April 1963, Alec P. Disney age 48 (b. 12/9/15) was found dead, lying face down in a shallow ditch on the road to Old Newton. His tradesman bike was found some distance away.
